Composition and cover of dominant woody species in plant communities across the Andalusian Red Natura 2000 (Directiva Habitats 92/43/CEE)

[Description of methods used for collection/generation of data] The composition and cover of dominant woody species (shrubs and trees), with the capacity to act as nurse plants, was characterized in plant communities across the Andalusian Red Natura 2000 (Directiva Habitats 92/43/CEE). The composition and cover (m^2 and %) of woody species in each plant community were sampled throughout two main methodologies: 1) plot-based, composition and cover at the understory layer was estimated in 1 plot [50 x 50 m] and 2500 m^2 of total sampled area; 2) transect-based, composition and cover in the canopy and understory layers, together with dead and overlapping individuals, was estimated in 20 transects [10 x 50 m], representing 100 squares [10 x 10 m] and a total sampled area of 10000 m^2. Complete descriptions of the methodological procedures can be found in Alcántara et al. (2019) and Verdú et al. (2022). The plots/transects were randomly distributed, trying to cover the largest possible area within each locality to avoid sampling bias. References: - Directiva 92/43/CEE del Consejo, de 21 de mayo de 1992, relativa a la conservación de los hábitats naturales y de la fauna y flora silvestres. - Alcántara, J. M., Garrido, J. L., Montesinos‐Navarro, A., Rey, P. J., Valiente‐Banuet, A., & Verdú, M. (2019). Unifying facilitation and recruitment networks. Journal of Vegetation Science, 30(6), 1239-1249. DOI: 10.1111/jvs.12795 - Verdú, M., Garrido, J. L., Alcántara, J. M., Montesinos‐Navarro, A., Aguilar, S., Aizen, M. A., et al. (2022). RecruitNet: A global database of plant recruitment networks. Ecology, e3923. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3923